Asda Larne elves spread Christmas cheer

Olive Walsh, member of Good Morning Larne with Linn Primary School pupil Jonathan and Asda Larne Community Life colleague, Catherine McCallion. INLT 51-671-CON

Published:08:00Sunday 20 December 2015

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Asda Larne has deployed a team of elves to help make the festive season extra special for a local community group.

The Asda Foundation is investing thousands of pounds into local communities this Christmas, working with a team of elves whose mission it is to surprise, delight and bring fun to communities.

Led by Community Life Champion, Catherine McCallion, the local team of elves joined the North Antrim Community Network to surprise the members of Good Morning Larne with a Christmas dinner, music and singing from Linn Primary School, as well as a talk on alcohol awareness and pharmacy services.

Catherine said: “It’s incredible to give some Christmas joy to the people in our community that deserve some special festive cheer.

“Good Morning Larne is a free, telephone support and alert service for older people in Larne, which allows them to stay independent in their homes. It is a real life line to its members.

“I’m delighted that because of the Asda Foundation many of the group members who may have spent Christmas alone will get to enjoy a proper Christmas dinner and most importantly company – it means so much at this time of the year.”

The Christmas dinner for Good Morning Larne also forms part of the Asda’s support of BBC NI and Age NI’s ‘Playing Our Part’ campaign, which encourages everyone to do a little extra something to help a make a difference to the lives of older people in Northern Ireland this Christmas.

Barbara Ann Gilchrist, Good Morning Larne coordinator, said: “Quite a lot of our members have little or no family and Christmas can be such a lonely time of year.

“The Christmas dinner is so important, as this for some will be their only day out over the festive season.

“We are incredibly grateful to Asda Larne and of course Catherine, the Community Life Champion as well as the North Antrim Community Network for their kindness, help and support in organising this event. Everyone has had such a brilliant day.”

Set up in 1988, the Asda Foundation aims to have a positive impact on local communities, by providing support to a range of local good causes, chosen by Asda community life colleagues across the UK.